There is so much to do in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Take time to plan trips to all the great places here, but remember to leave some time just to enjoy the peace and quiet at WOLF DEN Cabin.

It is no wonder lately that more people than ever are making North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains their family vacation destination. Discovering (or rediscovering) that a whole family can stay together affordably in a spacious log cabin with all the amenities of home at significantly less cost than a hotel and be so close to all the fun mountain area attractions helps to make it an easy vacation decision.

We are blessed to have such a scenic and historically significant area as North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains within an easy drive from many major metropolitan areas in North Carolina and adjoining states.

Within about 150 mile radius of the mountains (about one-half tank of gas or less) are:

• Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Durham and Chapel Hill to the east
• Hickory, Gastonia Charlotte, Rock Hill, SC, Greenville, SC and Columbia, SC to the south
• Asheville, Johnson City, TN, Kingsport, TN, Bristol, TN and Knoxville, TN to the west
• Lynchburg, VA, Blacksburg, VA, Roanoke, VA and Danville, VA to the north

and all points in between.

Within about 150-300 mile radius of the mountains (about a tank of gas or less) are:

• Raleigh, Fayetteville, Tarboro, Greenville, New Bern, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Newport News, VA and Richmond, VA to the east
• Florence, SC, Myrtle Beach, SC, Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA, Augusta, GA, Macon, GA, Athens, GA and Atlanta, GA to the south
• Chatanooga, TN, Nashville, TN and Bowling Green, KY to the west
• Lexington, KY, Louisville, KY, Cincinnati, OH, Columbus, OH, Huntigton, WV, Charleston, WV and Wheeling, WV to the north

among many other cities and towns.

There was a time when getting to the Blue Ridge Mountains was an arduous task - the roads there were once horrible and traffic backed up for miles during the tourist season. NOT ANYMORE!

For example, our cabin, WOLF DEN Cabin at Buck Mountain, is accessible from Interstate Highways and limited access four lane highways from just about anywhere.

The final four miles to the cabin is an incredibly scenic drive on a paved road and, then, via a wide gently graded and compacted gravel/dirt road.

Come to the mountains. Get away from the hustle and bustle of city life while you enjoy a vacation that doesn’t bust your budget.

On Buck Mountain there are many of us who care about star gazing and the extraordinary beauty of the night sky so we encourage each other not to pollute with exterior lighting. By limiting nighttime outdoor lighting, cabin occupants here are helping to preserve the deep dark blackness of the night sky for all of us to enjoy.

Use of outdoor lighting such as the auto-on lights on poles provided by the electric company or cabin exterior lights which are set to automatically turn-on at sunset is discouraged to help ensure that extraneous light is limited from blocking everyone’s view of the sky.

When one is renting a cabin in the mountains, turning on outdoor floodlights or spotlights for extended periods of time is a waste of electricity and is considered rude to neighbors occupying nearby cabins and/or those on adjacent ridges. Our guests agree not to leave exterior lights on for extended periods at night, when the cabin is unoccupied or overnight while sleeping.

Guests come here to discover more of what nature can display by sitting on the deck/porch in the dark and observing it. Unrestricted use of outdoor lighting, in addition to blocking the night sky, discourages the very animals that you come to the mountain hoping you’ll see.

There are several great riding stables and trails near our cabin.

Please let us know of others where you’ve ridden.

• Dutch Creek Trails
• Celtic Unicorn Stables

There is no greater thrill than riding an ATV on the more than 40 miles of scenic mountain roads at Buck Mountain unless it is riding on the miles of incredible ATV trails scattered throughout the community.

Neither the Buck Mountain Property Owners Association, WOLF DEN Cabin or Henley Properties, LLC maintain the trails, and none assumes any liability whatsoever for injury or damage sustained due to trail riding or related activity. You operate an ATV on Buck Mountain roads and trails at your own risk.

Guests vacationing at WOLF DEN Cabin are allowed to bring up to four ‘type-approved’ ATVs for road and trail riding fun if they consent to follow the rules of the cabin and the community and buy permits from the POA ($10 per ATV).

‘Type-approved’ is best understood by what is not allowed in the Buck Mountain community by the Property Owners Association in their ATV Rules (view the complete rules).

Banned Vehicles:

The following unlicensed vehicles are not permitted to be operated on the roads, trails or the common areas of the POA:

• Two-cycle or racing sport ATVs
• Dirt Bikes
• 3-wheel ATVs

While Buck Mountain is secluded with lots of space and hills separating the cabins, there are many full-time and weekend residents who desire to enjoy as much peace and quiet as possible. Two-cycle ATVs, racing sport ATVs and Dirt Bikes are simply too noisy or too fast to be allowed on Buck Mountain and 3-wheel ATVs are simply too dangerous. Guests attempting to use them will be promptly evicted.

Now, that’s not to say that one cannot have a lot of fun on an ATV here. Almost all cabin owners on Buck Mountain have one or several and use them as primary transportation all over the mountain. Mountain ATV riding is an exhilarating thrill. We own a Polaris Ranger and it has changed our entire experience while staying at the cabin.

Ray Martin, who writes ATV related articles for Ezine@rticles, posted his thoughts on ATV etiquette:

Great Outdoor ATV Fun Should Come With Great Respect For It Too

By Ray Martin

An ATV enthusiast never runs out of places to ride – unless the trails that you’ve been to are in a bad shape because off the “abuse” it’s been put through by other ATV riders, hikers, campers and other users who do not have any sort of respect for the trails that they are in.

Being aware and respecting the environment of the use of the ATV trails or any other outdoor parks that are made available for ATV riding are very important issues. If each ATV rider makes an effort to have some respect for the nature, you can be sure that the “hotspots” for ATV riding will remain in great condition for a long time to come.

In order to keep the riding areas open, it requires a whole lot of great rapport and communication between the public land managers, privately owned land owners as well as riders, campers, hikers and just about anyone who would have access to such areas. In short, common courtesy and consideration of the interests of the other parties are necessary to ensure that everyone will be able to enjoy the area.

Check the areas first
Before you pack your things to the area that you will be riding in, it is recommended that you first learn about the area. Find out from the respective public land manager or the privately owned property owner to see if there are any special rules or regulations and most importantly, get their permission to ride there. It will be of great help to you if you could get maps of the area from them as well. Do remember to stay on the trails if they are provided – do not try to be over adventurous.

Keep the noise down
Try not to create noise pollution while you are riding – ATVs are designed to be relatively quiet and yet is able to deliver maximum performance, smooth engine torque as well as spark suppression. When you create too much noise, not only will it stress out the wildlife (if there are any), it will annoy property owners and other users to the parks or trails too.

Remember your manners
If you happen to meet other users to the same area that you are riding in, be courteous. Do not try to intimidate them with your machine. No one likes a rude and obnoxious rider, so do be polite and give way to others such as hikers on the same trail.

Follow the signs if it’s provided
If you see a sign that says “Stay Out!” while you are riding in certain areas, do what it says – stay out. There are many reasons why such signs are being put up, even though the reasons may not be obvious. Obeying trail markers and closure signs is very important – they are there to ensure that you have fun while you are riding and at the same time, you should not endanger your own life or the lives of the other users at the same area.

Don’t leave your trash behind
When you are through riding in any area, always remember to leave the place the way it was when you first arrived, or better yet, leave the place cleaner than it originally was. Bring your own plastic trash bag to keep all your garbage and do not leave the bag behind. If you are responsible for your own “trash”, you can be sure that you will be more than welcome to ride in the same area again.

It sure helps a great deal when you play your role in caring for the environment of the area that you are riding in. To share your riding experience with other ATV riders, you can do so at the forums at www.jackel.com or www.atvoutdoors.net.

I never thought we’d be able to get my 89 year old mom on the ATV Ranger, but I was wrong. She said she had a good time riding with Constance on the roads at Buck Mountain.

I like and enjoy Ray Martin’s tips and thoughts on ATV fun and safety. Here is another article he penned for Ezine@rticles about ATV safety:

Know Your ATV Safety Tips

By Ray Martin

ATVs are gaining a great popularity among youths, adults as well as children. Hence, the knowledge of ATV safety should be growing as well. While the CPSC is committed to doing its part in promoting the safety issues of an ATV, the consumers, parents, manufacturers, dealers and retailers must also work hand in hand on this issue too. Here are some ATV safety tips for you – in case you have long forgotten about them.

1. Sign up for a hands-on safety training course
A safety training course enables riders to learn how to control their ATVs in typical situations – and in most cases, most ATV drivers who have gone through such courses have a lower injury risks compared to those with no formal or proper training.

2. Wear your protective gears!
Many a time, ATV injuries are head injuries and unless you want to risk “losing your head” while you are enjoying a ride on your ATV, always make sure that you wearing your helmet. Wearing a helmet when you are riding your ATV reduces the severity of head injuries, in the event of an unforeseen accident. However, when buying the helmet, please remember to check if it is certified by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and/or the Snell Memorial Foundation. On top of that, we also highly recommend that you wear over-the-ankle boots, goggles, gloves, long pants and long sleeved shirts to protect yourself against unnecessary cuts and injuries from rocks, trees as well as other kinds of debris.

3. Two is a crowd on an ATV
Most ATVs are designed for one person (meaning the rider) only and this means that passengers are not allowed. ATVs drivers must be able to shift their weight freely in all directions while they are riding and it is important that the drivers are able to maintain a safe control over their ATVs, especially on varying terrains and having a passenger will make it difficult for drivers to control their ATVs.

4. ATV = off road riding
Tempting as it may be, but one should never ride an ATV on paved roads. The designs of ATVs are not made for paved road riding. Riding an ATV on paved roads could cost you your life if you collide with cars or other vehicles. There have been reports of many fatalities involving ATVs that occur on paved roads. Be smart, ride your ATV on off paved road!

5. Children should not be allowed on adult ATVs
If you want your children to ride on an ATV, get them to ride on the youth ATVs instead of an adult ATV. About one third of ATV related deaths and injuries involving children are those who were driving or riding on an adult ATV. If your child is under 16 years of age, we encourage you to forbid them from riding an adult ATV. Instead, have them ride on something that they will have better control of – the youth ATVs.

6. Never ride ATVs under the influence of alcohol or drugs
It goes without saying that if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you should never get behind any wheels – be it a car or an ATV. Alcohol and drugs messes up your reaction time and judgment – so stay off ATVs if you have consumed either one.

ATVs are not toys, and if you adhere to all the safety measures while you ride on one, you can be sure that you will be able to have fun and arrive safely. It’s all about knowledge and putting them into practice. If you want to put in your 2-cents worth about ATV safety, you can do so at the forum discussion board at www.jackel.com or www.atvoutdoors.net

Gear up and ride safely!

Well said, Ray!

]]> http://coollogcabin.com/blog/2008/03/24/atv-fun-on-buck-mountain/feed/ http://coollogcabin.com/blog/2008/03/19/a-honeymoon-in-the-blue-ridge-mountains-can-create-memories-that-last-a-lifetime/ http://coollogcabin.com/blog/2008/03/19/a-honeymoon-in-the-blue-ridge-mountains-can-create-memories-that-last-a-lifetime/#comments Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:49:35 +0000 Walter http://coollogcabin.com/blog/2008/04/19/a-honeymoon-in-the-blue-ridge-mountains-can-create-memories-that-last-a-lifetime/

Ask any happily married couple about their honeymoon and you are sure to hear interesting stories about how they began their married life together. A honeymoon offers a lifetime of precious personal memories.

There are so many places in the world where a couple can honeymoon but, in this age of rising prices, international tension and travel delay nightmares, there is none more convenient, safe and affordable than North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

Starting a life together without huge wedding and honeymoon debt is a smart plan for couples who know that they will bring the romance with them wherever they honeymoon. Smart couples are discovering the romantic secluded beauty of honeymooning at a well equipped log cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Whether it’s arranging for an in-cabin massage for the newlyweds, bike rentals for a mountain ride, reserving horses for couples trail riding or procuring kayaks or canoes for water fun, we do everything we can to make a honeymoon at WOLF DEN Cabin extra special.

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And, to start things off just right, our honeymooning guests enjoy a complimentary bottle of wine when they arrive.

I simply like this shot of a rare winter snow on Buck Mountain.

Like many new skiers, she fell a lot but had a great time.

There are several fine ski resorts near the cabin which help to make winter in the Blue Ridge Mountains as much fun as any other time of the year.

• Appalachian Ski Resort
• Beech Mountain Ski Resort
• Sugar Mountain Resort
• Hawksnest Ski Resort

Staghorn Falls is very near the cabin… I just like the shot.

I took the falls picture this past summer (2007). There is a great walking trail where we’ve hiked up to the top of the falls. At the top, residents added a bench for your much needed rest after the hike. In the summertime, this is one of the coolest spots on the mountain. Down below, it’s about ankle deep and is a great place to bring friends and family of all ages to splash in the water.

The big black bear waving “HI” is one of my favorite funny pictures. He and the cougar (below) live at Grandfather Mountain in a small zoo there. So, when you’re not walking on the “mile high swinging bridge”, you can visit the animals there.

We’ve had a lot of inquiries about our new cabin and so I thought it would be easier to put pictures up here so everyone can see what it looks like instead of trying to e-mail them.

We are so excited about it … we are looking forward to some great times with family and friends up there and sharing it with a few special guests.

The cabin sits at 2200 feet on top of a ridge line with a great view from the rear porch/deck.

There are miles of roads and trails for walking, hiking or ATV riding. The views are really special all over Buck Mountain.

Here is a view of the living room before we furnished it. I just love the smell of pine that hits you as you walk into the house.

And here is a view of the living room with furniture.

The cabin is three stories (each floor has a full bathroom) and sleeps up to 11 people on seven beds in four bedrooms.

It’s a real rough-hewn log cabin complete with dovetail joints on the corners. Inside there are oak floors throughout with tongue and groove interior pine walls and pine ceilings.

The cabin has a great big porch on which we have placed six ‘Cracker Barrel’ rocking chairs for sitting and looking out at the view.

WOLF DEN Cabin is located in western Wilkes County, NC, at Buck Mountain, a private and gated community of log homes just 17 miles from Boone and only 7 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Near our cabin at Buck Mountain there is a waterfall (Staghorn Falls),

hiking and ATV trails,

a stocked fishing pond

and a sheltered picnic/party area available for a small fee for all guests.